Sandra Self* Minneapolis
The Magic of Dollmaking
Artist Statement
Sandra found her calling in the world of contemporary doll making more than 20 years ago. She has taught dollmaking widely as a healing and forgiving art form. Her art work has been described as archetypal, "outsider", powerful, magical, and elegant. She has exhibited nationally and her dolls are in numerous private collections.
I am grateful to the doll , after all these years, being such a challenging, and rewarding human endeavor, it communicates, about all that I care for, and then has a mind of its own, or rather I should say , a form of its own, dances to its own tune and forms its own strategies. 
Click on PDF to read an article in Star Tribune written about Sandra and dollmaking in 1995
The Magic of Dollmaking Philosophy The doll is a rich subject for me because of its possibilities for including my other loves: drawing, painting, "sculptural doodling," and "elegant encrusting." By adding guided meditation and creating a supportive community with my students, the magic is passed on to all. Dollmaking is a comforting as well as sophisticated endeavor: the drawing, cutting-out, sewing, stuffing, and draping use both repetition and invention. The excitement of making a coll calls forth a spiritual connection as never-before-made object is realized. For children Boys and girls can delight in being able to make their own meaningful toys, and learn the fun of sewing and gain self-esteem. For adults - Not-yet-artists gain confidence as s/he learn to access their own inner creativity. - Established artists discover a rich vehicle to contain many levels of meaning and receive an invaluable mentoring experience. - Individual dollmaking as an adjunct to therapy find a nonverbal means of accessing meaning. Healing occurs as the dolls take form and inform their makers. - Men and boys share in the fun of sewing and of breaking out of sexist role confiement. I am a doll activist, making dolls as a way to contribute to making peace in the world. My work is invite others to come and catch the fever and join the party? | The Pomegranate Seed Sisters
The Pomegranate Seed Sisters are from a new body of work, began after a period of art resting, and at the request of a dear friend, not for himself but as art for a benefit for two non profit local organizations, one named Rimon, the Hebrew word for Pomegranate. The symbolism for this fruit each of which contains 613 seeds is "mitzvot", or blessings, productivity, prolific fruitfulness, and is also the number of blessings in the 5 books of Moses, and on we go. Should be enough to get someone making art again, don't you think. Well it worked. The only visible signs of this connection are the small number of scattered red beads, or seeds, on the costumes of the figures, and the not visible round shaped belly of each doll. Into each doll also went my own studies into Judaic mysticism, the tree of life, the Kabbala, and a delight in the richness of my background, and also of the universal elements common to all spiritual teaching. The dolls are quite simple to contemplate, so that the meaning and interests of the person to whom they communicate sees an entirely personal vision. To make a doll is so transformative, because the doll has the seeds of new creations, in its completeness. The feminine nature of these dolls is an aspect of both men and women. And sew she goes.
Sandra Self | ||||
